Wednesday, 31 December 2014

A year of love, activities, travel, family, growth, achievements, health and adventure. We're very fortunate. May every year be so blessed.

After such a lovely family Christmas in SA, we headed down to the Prom for a lazy New Year's.

Marie-Laure and I finished the year with a final small adventure over to friends at Sandy Point. We threw our bikes into the Zodiac and whizzed across the Inlet in beautiful light, and rode into town for a very relaxed BBQ and drinks.

Then back across the inky black water under decent moonlight to bring in the New Year with Anne and Dominou and several bottles of champagne.

During the week, we adopted a baby galah (Rosie) with a fear of heights. Mum and dad joined us, and, obviously sensing a family-friendly-environment, would stay for most of January.

Thursday, 25 December 2014

We had a lovely Garrett family Chrissy this year at Robe. The photos below only do it justice by virtue of their paucity - we were otherwise far too busy catching up and enjoying each other's company to be bothered with cameras! I'll have to update later when I get hold of Anne's Nikon.

The Claisses arrived a few days before school break up, and together we loaded up two cars and a boat with Santa's sundry goods and equipment.

We broke up the long journey with a stop at Dunkeld and a memorable dinner at the Royal Mail. The Claisses were once again knocked out by our stars, troupes of kangaroos and good food.

Then on to Robe (via a few wineries at Coonawarra) and a lovely revamped old sandstone house that we'd rented for the week (the old Bush Inn). We soon realised that Penny and Simon had rented a cottage across the road, and mum and dad and the McKenzies weren't far away either. It was great to have the bikes (we gave Lucie her new Chrissy bike early) for regular forays in to town, or to the beach. I was also glad to have brought the kayak, and whilst we didn't get a whole lot of use from the boat, it at least served as a handy vassal.

We had several wonderful dinners hosted by each of the houses, and the kids as usual got on like cousins do. The South Australian seafood and wines made dining a higher pleasure. There were lots of beach activities when the wobbly weather allowed, including an afternoon at the beautiful but unfairly named Stinky Beach. And Robe itself is delightful.
Christmas day was at our joint, with lots of joy.
Then all too soon it was over and we had to wend our way back to Victoria.

Monday, 1 December 2014

Season 2014 starred a couple of massive early dumps and then an eternal spring, the warmest on record.

I got fit for touring running the TGV in the Vanoise, and then returning for the tail end of Snowmageddon and Snowzilla and some exceptional powder days with my mates.

A low and beefy base leant for some new and perhaps never before skied lines in the Hotham BC, with the western faces of Loch the most memorable - and then our best ever day's ski-touring on the Bluff and Eadly-Stoney.

I then broke my thumb and needed surgery which put the moz on a few of my other plans, but still some exceptional spring corn was to be had.

However September was mostly about the family and the kids. I got Charlotte skiing some steep BC lines, and all of them progressed in leaps and bounds such that even the 4 year old can now keep up with the rest of the family no matter the pitch.

Without a doubt this was the highlight of the season.

Despite the early notions of Christmas lines, it was all over by October such that a planned Main Range trip didn't eventuate.